The Son and The Father director Florian Zeller will direct, write and co-produce the upcoming big-budget TV adaptation of Tony Award-winning play The Lehman Trilogy, his debut TV project.
03.09.2022 - 14:07 / variety.com
Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Feature documentary “The Ghost of Richard Harris,” which premieres Sunday at the Venice Film Festival, looks to answer the question: “Who was Richard Harris?” The film also contains the revelation that Harris was offered the role of Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” movies, but chose to take the part of Dumbledore in the “Harry Potter” franchise instead. Variety spoke to director Adrian Sibley and Richard Harris’ son Jared Harris – a distinguished actor himself, and one of the originators of the project – about how the documentary came to be made. Sibley first broached the subject of making a film about Richard Harris some 20 years ago with the man himself, who responded: “I’ll do it, but only if I can tell the truth half the time,” Jared Harris recalls.
Sibley liked this idea but the BBC – who he pitched it to – were less keen. “The BBC were questioning my integrity that we could do a documentary that wasn’t true,” he says. “They were going: ‘What do you mean, he’s not going to tell the truth?’ And I said, ‘Well, that’s the whole thing about Richard Harris: What makes him interesting is how he plays with who he is.’” Sibley had been introduced to Harris by another of his three sons, director Damian Harris, whose eye had been caught by Sibley’s documentary on Anthony Hopkins. Sibley told him: “Look, I’ve always been interested in your father, because, actually, he isn’t who he says he is. And if he is who he says he is, he’s also somebody else.” Sibley’s meeting with Harris at the Savoy Hotel, where the actor lived at the time, was not a comfortable experience. “Richard was disturbing for a journalist. Probably the closest encounter I’d had was with Jerry Lee
The Son and The Father director Florian Zeller will direct, write and co-produce the upcoming big-budget TV adaptation of Tony Award-winning play The Lehman Trilogy, his debut TV project.
The Princess Royal cannot act in the King’s place if he is ill or overseas, despite the fact that her younger brother the Duke of York , and his eldest daughter Princess Beatrice can. The only people who are able to act in the King’s place are the Queen Consort, the new Prince of Wales, the Dukes of Sussex and York, and Princess Beatrice. Other than the Queen Consort, these individuals all have the role of Counsellor of State, which is a title that is automatically bestowed upon the four royals next in the line of succession who are older than 21.
Fresh from a tumultuous Venice and a Madison Garden concert in between, Harry Styles was back on the festival circuit this weekend for the Toronto world premiere of Michael Grandage’s My Policeman.
Missing the matriarch. The royal family — and particularly Prince Harry — are doing their best to cope following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, an insider exclusively tells Us Weekly.
Oscar winner Florian Zeller (The Father), fresh off Venice Film Festival drama The Son, is launching production firm Blue Morning Pictures with backing from European studio Mediawan (Call My Agent).
Hugh Jackman’s latest film, “The Son”, premiered Wednesday at the Venice International Film Festival, where the screening’s conclusion was greeted with a thunderous standing ovation that went on for a full 10 minutes.
Hugh Jackman and Laura Dern devastated the Venice Film Festival with the world premiere of Florian Zeller’s “The Son,” which earned a 10-minute standing ovation. Jackman appeared visibly moved during the film’s reception, as did the audience. Jackman hugged his young co-star Zen McGrath amid the ovation. The film, which centers on a gut-wrenching family tragedy, led to audible gasps from viewers during one dramatic scene. Based on this rapturous reception, Zeller might be back for more Oscar glory with “The Son.”“The Son” centers on “a family as it falls apart and tries to come back together again,” according to Sony Pictures Classics’ official synopsis. Jackman stars as a father whose 17-year-old son comes to live with him after deciding he can no longer stay with his mother (Dern) years after his parents’ divorce. Jackson’s character, Peter, has a new partner, Kirby’s Beth. As Peter overextends himself to give his son a better life.
Writer/Director Florian Zeller had such great success with his 2020 film adaptation of his stage play, The Father which won six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, winning for his and co-writer Christopher Hampton’s screenplay, as well as Best Actor for Anthony Hopkins, that he was able to move very quickly in getting a film version going for his next play, 2018’s Le Fils. The result, The Son, premiering today at the Venice Film Festival in competition, is the second of a three part stage and film series on stories dealing with mental health, in this case a troubled 17 year old boy who has been deeply affected by the divorce of his parents and is suffering severe problems. Of course The Father dealt with one elderly man’s devastating descent into dimentia and the effect that had on his family, and it was an intimate film production for Zeller, largely taking place in the man’s apartment, yet still managed to be cinematic despite its stage origins.
Ana de Armas and Adrien Brody arrive at the Hotel Excelsior in Venice, Italy on Wednesday (September 7).
The Son star Hugh Jackman told the Venice press corps today that his role in the film has had an impact on how he behaves with his own kids. “For many, many years as a parent the job was to appear strong and dependable and never worried and I don’t want to burden my children. But certainly since this movie I’ve changed my approach. I share my vulnerabilities more with my 17- and 22-year-old and I see their relief when I do.”
Brendan Fraser gives a cheeky smile while arriving at JFK airport in New York City on Tuesday afternoon (September 6).
Chris Pine's rep is denying a fan theory. In a statement to ET, the 42-year-old actor's rep shuts down claims that Harry Styles spit on Pine at the premiere of their flick, at the Venice Film Festival. «This is a ridiculous story… a complete fabrication and the result of an odd online illusion that is clearly deceiving and allows for foolish speculation,» Pine's rep tells ET.
Christopher Vourlias The pursuit of justice in the wake of unspeakable war crimes is at the heart of Ukrainian documentary filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa’s timely new feature, “The Kiev Trial.” Produced by Atoms & Void for the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center, the film had its world premiere out of competition at the Venice Film Festival. The trailer can be viewed below. Held in January 1946 in the former Soviet Union, the film’s titular trial was among the first court cases to hold Nazis and their collaborators accountable for atrocities committed during World War II — acts that would come to be known as “crimes against humanity” during the historic tribunals held in Nuremberg, Germany.
Though it sets out on a ghost hunt, Adrian Sibley’s fitfully fascinating documentary works better as an exploration of its subject’s public and private personas, charting Richard Harris’ rise from local sports star to screen legend via an unexpected heyday as a chart-topping pop star in 1968.
The Beatles: Get Back director Peter Jackson overcame formidable competition from some Hollywood heavyweights tonight to claim the Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program.
More than 50 years ago Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr won the Oscar for Original Song, for “Let It Be.” Tonight, they added Emmys to their extraordinary careers, for producing the Disney+ documentary series The Beatles: Get Back.
SPOILER ALERT: This podcast contains details of the first two episodes of Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which debuted Thursday night. For more on the epic series, watch Deadline’s Inside The Ring: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power after-show that launches Saturday.
EXCLUSIVE: Director James Gray has revealed to Deadline that Johnny, a pivotal character portrayed by Jaylin Webb (The Wonder Years) in Gray’s autobiographical film Armageddon Time, was killed during a drug deal in the mid-1980s, some six years after we last see him in the movie.
Well, the lead-up to the world premiere of Olivia Wilde‘s sophomore feature “Don’t Worry Darling” at the Venice Film Festival this year has been …dramatic so far. Speculation abounds as to why Florence Pugh‘s press for the upcoming film remains limited, as well as what may have happened between her and Wilde during production.